Irish beer will be a big part of St. Patrick’s Day
celebrations on the River Walk and beyond in San Antonio Saturday.

Irish beer will be a big part of St. Patrick’s Day
celebrations on the River Walk and beyond in San Antonio Saturday.

Photo: Robin Jerstad /For The San Antonio Express-News

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Durty Nelly's Irish Pub

The River Walk crown prince of Irish pubs is famous for corned beef and cabbage, Black & Tan beer-battered onion rings and Irish beer on draft (Harp, Guinness and Smithwick’s). Beyond its faux-cottage exterior lies a den of dim lights, sturdy wooden tables and all the free peanuts you can shell at a sitting. On Saturday, there will be green beer and bagpipers starting at 3 p.m. 200 S. Alamo St. at the base of the Hilton Palacio del Rio, 210-224-3343, durtynellyspub.com

This respectable Irish pub and restaurant normally doesn’t open until 4 p.m., but the doors will open at 9 a.m. Saturday for Irish breakfast specials until 11 a.m., then Irish food and drink specials until 2 a.m. They’ll be pouring $5 Guinness and Smithwick’s beers and $3 Irish Mule cocktails made with Tullamore Dew Irish whiskey, lime juice and ginger beer, including what Bogside bills as the World’s Largest Irish Mule Irish Mule in a gigantic copper mug at noon. 803 S. St. Mary’s St., 210-369-9192, francisbogside.com

There’s nothing fancy about this neighborhood bar, just one big room with a long bar, stout wooden booths and a pool table in the back. But it’s a friendly place for an Irish cider, Guinness on draft and a shot of Jameson Black Barrel. The party goes from noon to 2 a.m. Saturday, with $3 green Pabst Blue Ribbon beers and $5 shots of Jameson, plus Irish Car Bomb specials. 9726 Datapoint Drive, 210-692-7620, no web presence

In an otherwise nondescript strip mall near Stone Oak, Kennedy’s Public House announces its identity with leaded glass windows and a fine wooden door. Inside, it’s a cool and welcoming pub with a massive central bar and a menu of burgers, wings and fish and chips. From 11 a.m. to 2 a.m. Saturday, Kennedy’s will pour $3.50 green beer and $4 Irish car bombs with $6.75 Irish nachos made with potatoes instead of tortilla chips. Music by an Irish pipe and drum band starts at 3 p.m. 19179 Blanco Road, 210-764-1333, Facebook: @kennedysirishbar

An unexpected but first-rate location for an Irish throwdown, this swank downtown bar and bistro from the Rosella Coffee family is throwing a Kegs and Eggs party from 9 a.m. to midnight Saturday. Breakfast specials run until 4 p.m., with drink specials all day — Guinness on draft, flights of Jameson whiskey, Irish coffee and an exclusive Leatherneck cocktail — and a DJ at 9 p.m. 114 E. Houston St. at the Rand Building, 210-595-1410, rosellacoffee.com/rand

The thoroughly European pub at this former Lion & Rose location on Broadway bills itself as a “British Embassy.” But we’ll give it the honorary green jacket for proper pours of Guinness and brisket shepherd’s pie from a menu curated by chef Brian West. On Saturday, The Winchester’s hosting a block party that stretches from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m., with live music, Irish dancing, food and green beer. 5148 Broadway, 210-721-7762, thewinchesterpub.com

Will have special tappings of Nitro Dry Irish Stout and Irish Red Ale, live Irish music from Blind Alley, a special Irish menu from Twisted Traditions food truck and a green cocktail made from its Absinthe #1. Free admission. 5-9 p.m.

On Saturday, people all over the Western world will pause to consider the contributions of Ireland to food, music and culture. The rest of us, meanwhile, will be celebrating St. Patrick’s Day.

In San Antonio, that means a floating parade on the River Walk from 4 to 6 p.m., Irish food, green beer and family fun at La Villita from noon to 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and a host of food and drink specials with an Irish accent from bars and restaurants all over the city.

Call it a warmup party for Cinco de Mayo. Click through the slideshow above to check out the specials.